“A Sachem didn’t rule the people — they spoke for them”

Here’s one most people get wrong — the word “chief” isn’t even Native.
It came from the French word “chef,” meaning “leader” or “head.”
When colonists arrived in the Northeast, they used it to describe the Native men and women who governed their Nations. But that wasn’t their real title.

In the Algonquian-speaking communities of the Northeast — including the Unkechaug, Shinnecock, and Montaukett Nations — the word was Sachem (pronounced SAY-chum or SAH-chum).

A Sachem wasn’t just a political leader — they were a guardian, a decision-maker, and a voice for their people.
They didn’t rule; they represented.

The Sachem’s role was built on wisdom, fairness, and service, not power.
Tribal councils chose Sachems based on respect, character, and the ability to unite people — not wealth or inheritance.
It was leadership through example, not authority.

In many Algonquian and Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) societies, women held significant power in the decision-making process. They chose the leaders, settled disputes, and guided their communities through consensus.
That model — government by balance and voice — inspired aspects of democracy itself.

Even now, across Long Island and the Northeast, the term Sachem endures.
You see it in town names, schools, and landmarks — reminders of the original leadership that shaped this region.
But for Native people, it’s more than a title. It’s a principle: to lead is to serve, to listen, and to protect the land and its people.

How You Say It